Ocean's Call
by Breenagh
Summary: Things were normal in La Push, until one day they weren't. Faced with her brother's disappearance, combined with her ex-friend's sudden interest in her, and a weird draw to the ocean, Melody Dawson starts to unravel the tight web of secrets that live in Forks, Washington.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey! I write a lot of really Cullen-centric stories, and I have no idea why because I've always loved the Rez. So here's me doing a completely werewolf based story. Maybe the Cullens will appear but it's set soon after Embry Call phases for the first time. Anyways hope you enjoy it! And this doesn't mean I won't work on About Eden any more (or the Hero for anyone following that).

Chapter One - The Ocean

Melody was beautiful. There was no question about that. It radiated off of her, an effortless grace that had a way of making people follow her, try to watch and learn from her every move as if it was something that could be replicated.

It worried her parents endlessly. Her black eyes, soft brown hair and full lips attracted people. Strange people.

Their house, the house that her great-grandfather had built, was situated on a small cliff overlooking La Push beach. It was happy, painted blue with flowers bursting from the garden - the very last house in a row of houses, all built by someone's great-grandfather.

Every night growing up, Melody listened to waves crashing on the rocks below. Her father told her stories of wolf-men and demons, being Quileute, and her mother told her stories of fairy people and sea-women, being Irish.

Her older twin siblings, Katie and Benjamin, liked to tell her that a cold demon would eat her if she was out after dark. Well into Melody's sixteenth year, the dark still gave her the chills.

The morning on the weirdest day of her life, she woke to a heavy rain slamming the metal roof of their house. She rolled out of bed and peeked through the window, out to the gray ocean and dark sky. Thunder rumbled in the distance. The ocean seemed to taunt her, dancing underneath, large rolling waves.

"You're up?" Katie asked from the doorway. "Why're you standing in the dark?"

"Just woke up," Melody said. Katie told her breakfast was ready and left the room. Melody dressed in jeans and a hoodie, padding softly downstairs to the kitchen. Ben and Katie sat together, side-by-side and joined at the hip as usual.

Melody sat and stared at their near-identical looks. Ben's hair was short and jet black, sticking up at odd angles like usual. His skin was russet, he was tall and lanky and freckled. He still had that shy boyish smile. Katie was the one who stood up for them, pushing bullies into the sand since they were five.

Katie sat, smiling as usual, her long black hair in a bun on top of her head. She was willowy but strong, freckled, and kind-looking. Surprisingly she could probably kill someone with her bare hands.

"I'll drive you guys to school?" Ben said, taking his and Katie's bowls to the sink. They both nodded. They could have walked but it would be more like swimming with the pouring rain outside.

They said goodbye to their parents and climbed into Ben's old blue truck. He and their childhood best friend, Jacob, had restored it from a hunk of junk sitting in the side yard.

Melody sat in the back, peering through the window at the trails of water on the road that fanned out behind them. It was captivating on the short drive to the school. They arrived as the sky started to lighten a little bit, still covered in thick clouds.

"I'll see you guys after," Melody waved. The twins headed to their homeroom, being seniors, and Melody headed to hers.

"Hey, Mel," Jacob said, jogging up. The school on the rez was small enough, in fact the entire reservation was small enough that everyone knew each other.

"Hey," Melody said. "What's going on?"

"Embry's back," he said quietly, ducking down to see her. Melody chewed her lip. Jake, Embry and Quil were a trio, but suddenly one day Embry disappeared. No one in the tribe would say anything about it.

"What's he saying?"

"Nothing," Jacob groaned. "Like, nothing at all. He won't talk to us. He's… with Sam now."

A chill went through Melody. Sometimes kids disappeared. When they came back, they were under Sam's thumb. Everyone called them hall monitors on steroids. Jared, an old friend of theirs, walked by as they were talking. He only shot a knowing look at Jacob before moving down the hall.

"Um," Melody shouldered her backpack. "Anyways. Speaking of disappearing, where the Hell have you been, Black?"

Jacob looked down and blushed, his dark eyelashes casting a shadow on his cheekbones. Melody sighed. She could almost exactly predict what Jacob would say.

"With Bella," they said at the same time. Melody rolled her eyes.

"You gotta stop, Jake," she chided as the bell rang. "But we gotta go to class."

They went to homeroom together, Jacob promising to spend more time with Melody and the twins. She loved her friendship with Jacob. At the old barbeques they used to have every summer, the adults would sit in the Black's living room while sending all the kids out to play. She remembered smoky evenings climbing through the dry grass and bracken, the purpling sky overhead, that feeling all kids felt when they did something they shouldn't - in this case, it was sitting in a circle playing truth or dare. It was the secret world of kids, of childhood. She missed it. Ever since the older kid, Sam, suddenly grew up, and took others with him, it changed.

She missed the nights when she'd come home at eleven in her parent's car, tucked in next to Ben and Katie, everyone smelling of smoke and grass, full of hot dogs. Especially the night when she was twelve, when someone… Embry, it must have been, dared Jacob to kiss Melody. She'd tried to pretend she didn't want to, but they did it, and it was awkward and Ben screamed but it was a night so full of childish hope and joy.

Jake and Melody sat together, waiting for Quil. Embry's usual seat was empty. The boy who walked in, the man who walked in, he was not Embry Call. He wasn't the lanky, long-haired kid who used to throw dirt at her and always had scraped knees. He wasn't Embry Call who's mother always came to the barbeques but looked out of place, his mother, Tiffany, who Sarah Black and Joy Ateara would whisper about while doing dishes.

"Jesus," Jacob said. Embry was tall, still, but full of lean muscle and his previously long hair was chopped. His jaw was tight while he moved across the room… to sit with Jared and Paul.

"Assholes," Melody whispered to Jake, rolling her eyes. Quil entered, looking crestfallen.

"He completely blew me off in the hall," Quil whispered, sitting down. The teacher started talking. Melody didn't look at Embry again.

Jacob and Quil both promised her they'd never be like the hall monitors on steroids. She just hoped they'd make good on that promise.

That day after school, Melody was rushing down the hall. If she didn't get outside in time, Ben would probably leave without her, and she'd have to trudge home in the pouring rain. She kept her head slightly bent to avoid any conversation and just powered down the hall - walking smack into a solid mass.

"Watch it," Embry growled. It was barely Embry anymore. She pulled her head back from his solid chest and glared up at him.

"You've got nerve," Melody snapped. "I mean seriously - we used to be friends. Remember that, how you weren't going to be Sam Uley's bitch?"

Embry was staring at her in shock. His lips were slightly parted.

"I- I don't… Uh…" Embry stuttered. Melody brushed by him. She left the school and basically threw herself into the back of Ben's truck.

"Bad day?" Katie asked, turning around to peer at Melody over her seat. She just rolled her eyes.

"You don't even want to know," Melody responded.

They drove home, Ben wailing along to the old radio. Melody stared over the cliffside to the ocean. Something about the ocean drew her in, fascinated her.

And what the hell was Embry Call's issue?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two - Red and Blue

 _Melody_

I had never seen my family so angry. I don't even remember what started the argument. I was in my room, doing homework, when all of a sudden the shouting started. Ben sounded angry, as did Dad. Even upstairs, I could hear them. Worried, I crept to the landing and listened in as best I could. It seemed to be Ben and Katie against our parents. We were a family that never fought. We got in trouble, the twins and I, we were always doing stupid stuff. But this? This was emotional and angry.

"You leave her out of this!" Ben yelled. "We didn't ask for this! We never asked for this!"

The door slammed. I assumed Ben went for a drive to blow off steam, or Dad did. I went to bed.

Sometime in the middle of the night, I woke up to voices. My mom's voice, on the phone, pinched with worry.

"He's still not home, Sam," she said. "I know it does... Yes. But you haven't heard anything at all?"

The house fell silent for a moment.

"And you can't track him?"

Again, silence.

"I see. Thanks, Sam. Call me if you hear anything. I will. Goodnight."

I heard a deep sigh and the creak of an armchair. I tried to get up, go to her, but my legs wouldn't move. I fell back into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Ben still wasn't home. Katie and I sat at the table, trying to eat. Her eyes were rimmed with red and puffy. Her hair was down around her shoulders and unbrushed. Before school, I took her into her room and brushed through her silky, long hair. I rubbed some cooling cream under her tired eyes and she seemed to wake up enough to apply her usual coat of mascara.

While she was getting dressed, I heard Mom and Dad arguing.

"I don't care what Sam says, I'm calling Chief Swan," Mom snapped. "This goes beyond... the tribe, Robert."

"No," Dad said. "The boys will find him. He's angry and shocked. We can't talk about this with the kids around."

They dropped their voices too low for me to hear. I could make out my name, and Sam's name again. What did Uley have to do with any of this? My mind flashed briefly to Embry's disappearance and then odd return in Sam's clutches. What was happening to the boys of my town?

The news of Ben's sudden vanishing act had evidently spread to the school already. Some people asked questions, but mostly everyone just kept their head down and avoided us, refusing to talk about it. Jake's face was gray, obviously worried sick.

Embry stopped me in the hallway after homeroom. I'd felt his eyes on me the entire time.

"Hello," he said urgently. "Melody."

I stared at his hand, wrapped around my arm. He let go, embarrassed. "Hi, Embry."

"It's nice to... uh, see you," Embry smiled. I scrunched my nose up.

"I see you every day?" I said. Okay, everyone in this town was going insane.

"Yeah, but, I mean. We don't talk anymore," he shrugged, putting his hands in his jean pockets.

"I wonder why that is," I snapped. Being rude wasn't in my genes, not at all, but Embry was pissing me off. He turns into a ghost for a week, comes back different and offers no explanation? A look of pain twisted his face. He tried a different route.

"Look, I heard about Benjie. You must be worried... He's gonna be okay, Mel, we're looking for him."

"You?" I said. "You and Sam's boys. The _police_ should be looking for him."

Embry stared me down. "They won't find anything."

"What the Hell, Embry?" I cried. "No, seriously, what the Hell are you saying?"

"Nothing!" he held up his hands, realizing his error. "Nothing seriously. We're just better at finding our own, that's... that's all."

I looked him up and down. Something weird, something uncontrollable and horrible was taking over La Push. It was something that crept in during the night to break up friendships and families and turn people into zombies.

"Stay away from me," I told him. Whatever it was, I wanted nothing to do with it. I wanted Ben back. The long purple sky, flashlight games and the smell of smoke haunted me while I walked away from Embry. For some reason, every step I took made me want to cry even more. The laughter of us as children, with no worries, no idea of what would happen, that laughter echoed in my mind.

Katie drove me home in Ben's truck. It smelled like leather and Ben and Katie and I. Nothing was right - and I wasn't sure if it would ever be right again.

When I got home, a police cruiser sat in the drive. My mind went to the worst. Immediately Katie and I darted into the house to see Chief Swan sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee. Mom sat across from him with her hands wrapped around her own, mostly untouched, coffee. Dad leaned against the fridge, arms folded and jaw tight.

"What happened?" Katie asked, rushing forward, nearly knocking the table over. Charlie steadied it easily.

"We're looking for your brother," Charlie told her, calmly, firmly. "I'm just trying to gather an idea of where he might have gone."

Katie visibly relaxed. Both of our minds had gone to the worst, the unthinkable. I sat too, Charlie was almost startled to see me.

"You sure have grown up, kid," Charlie said. "What grade are you in now? Senior?"

"Junior," I smiled. "Katie and Ben are the seniors."

"Right, right," Charlie whistled. "The time sure flies by. Wow."

Charlie stayed for an hour, asking us questions. He was visibly frustrated when Dad pretty much refused to give him any answers. What was happening? They obviously knew something we didn't... But what could it be?

When Charlie left, Katie took me upstairs and we listened in to their conversation.

"Do you realize how this looks, Robert?" Mom hissed. Her accent, thick and Irish, got worse when she was angry. "They think we did something to our little boy."

"They don't think that, Saoirse." _(A/N: I realize anyone who isn't Irish might not know how to say that. Sorry! It's said like Seer-sha.)_

"They do! He left without the truck, the keys, his phone! All his clothes! And in this weather? It screams foul play! I just want... I want my baby boy back."

Katie stared down the hallway woodenly.

"You were there when they argued," I said. "What did they say? Why did he leave?"

"I can't tell you," Katie said.

"Bull. You just won't. I'm the only one here who doesn't know what's going on! He's my brother too, Katie."

Katie glared at me. "He left because of you and Embry, idiot."

"What? There is no 'me and Embry'!"

"Not that you know of," Katie snapped. We were sitting cross-legged and barefoot on the upstairs carpet. She seemed to grow three times my size.

"What the Hell are you talking about? What does everyone know that I don't?!" I yelled, standing up. She stood too, still expanding, shaking hotly.

"Girls?" Mom called from downstairs. "What's going on up there?!"

"He doesn't want... Embry... touching you!" Katie growled. "He wants the bond... to break!"

"What bond? There is no bond!" I yelled back.

"KATIE! ENOUGH!" Dad bellowed. They started to come up the stairs. Katie shoved past me but I followed. There was no way she was escaping this conversation. No more lies, no more half-truths or evading questions.

On the stairs, our parents let Katie pass but grabbed me. I wrenched away and thundered after my sister, out into the lawn.

"I'm part of this too, God damn it!" I screamed at her. "Don't walk away!"

She twisted back. "Stay out of this, Melody! You have no idea-"

She fell into the wet grass. I rushed forward - crying out. Something was seriously wrong. Suddenly, as Mom screamed in horror, a large and slender wolf with shaggy, silky white fur appeared.


	3. Chapter 3

A/n: Omg, thank you guys for the sweet reviews! I'm so glad this story was an immediate sort of hit. I'm having so much fun writing it! Expect frequent updates. Something about me is that writing is an escape for me, as it has been since I was eight (I'm seventeen now). I'm going through some stuff, so I'm constantly writing. This story is just kind of pouring out at this point! Much love from Breenagh.

Chapter Three - Cherry Trees

 _Melody_

Katie sat on the couch, wrapped in a large blanket. She stared sullenly at my parents. I sat next to her.

"Someone needs to explain," I said, breaking the silence. "Someone needs… to tell me what the hell is happening."

"We're so sorry, girls," Dad said, rubbing his forehead. His dark bronze skin was dull, fatigued. "Katie already knows this part… but you remember all those Quileute legends we told you growing up?"

"Yeah," I said, eyeing Katie. "Why?"

"They're all real," Dad answered. "Real stories, passed down from the men who are native to this land. The spirit warriors and their genes. Because a… group of Cold Ones are nearby, the original ones who signed the Treaty, the gene activated. I know what you kids say about Sam and his boys. It's not their fault."

"Are you kidding me?" I said. "You're saying the reason Sam's friends are so weird is because they're men in wolf bodies?"

"It's true," Dad insisted. "Ben's missing because he phased. We were arguing that night because we told him what would happen… More and more boys are phasing, they need to be prepared."

Katie scoffed when he said the word 'boys'.

"What does that make me, Dad?" she said. "What am I?"

"Just because there's no legends remaining of a she-wolf doesn't mean it's impossible. You and Benjamin are one in the same," Mom insisted. "I'd be surprised if you didn't phase."

"Am I gonna turn into a wolf?" I paled. It looked… painful.

"Most likely not," Dad smiled sadly. "I think you take more after your mother."

That much was true. I looked more like Mom, my skin was a lighter shade of tan than my siblings - it was a source of awkwardness growing up. The Elders weren't happy that Dad married a white woman. They accepted her now, of course. Who couldn't be won over by Saoirse Dawson's warm, huggable frame, her kind face, her fiercely loving manner? She was one of the pack now.

The pack. It was always a joke, calling all of us a pack. I guess all jokes are based somewhere in truth.

"I'm sorry about yelling at you," Katie said. "I was so angry, I didn't know what I was talking about. Ben didn't leave because of you - please, don't ever think that."

"It's okay, Katie," I said. "I understand it all now. I just want Ben to come home."

"Um, hey," Ben said awkwardly from the kitchen, walking towards the living room. Everyone turned, and Mom cried out. Dad stood, seemingly looking Ben over for injuries.

"Ben!" Katie screamed. They collided, falling to the ground, holding each other tight.

"I only came back so soon because… Sam connected with me, said you were in trouble and needed me, Katie. What the hell? You gotta copy me?"

Katie was too busy crying over him. I wasn't surprised that Sam knew where he was all this time. There was only minimal yelling from our parents - they knew the change messed with people. I felt awkward and left out. I took after Mom. There wasn't anything special about me.

"Katie, what did you mean about Embry?" I asked. Ben's jaw popped when he tensed it suddenly.

"You told her," he said, looking at Katie. "Come on."

"She has a right to know, we've been driving her crazy!" Katie defended herself shortly before turning to me. "Embry's a wolf, it's a wolf thing. He saw you and it's like…"

"It's creepy," Ben said. "I know how it works, it's an obsession. Sam explained it even more, and it's gross. They're so happy they don't even know how unhappy they are."

"Embry Call is obsessed with me because of why?" I asked.

"Benjamin, Kateron, go upstairs," Dad said shortly. "You have no idea what you're talking about. And you had no right to tell your sister any of that. It's Embry's job - it's not your business."

When we were alone, my parents sat me down. I felt uncomfortable and actually wished Ben and Katie were still there. Dad took a breath before talking. Mom had barely any input - she was of a different culture, she didn't have the same ancestors as Dad.

"When a spirit warrior, a wolf, phases, he's different," Dad explained. "You… You see the woman who's the love of your life. She's part of you and she's your destiny. You become whatever she needs. A friend, a protector, a husband. Anything for her. She's your motivation in life. You look into her eyes and suddenly everything changes."

"So… Embry Call is my soul mate bodyguard?" I asked. Great. That's really what I needed. No wonder Ben freaked out so badly.

"Yes. You think about her all the time, to stay away from her is… pain, or so I hear," Dad said. My stomach lurched when I realized the last thing I said to Embry was to stay away from me. If I really was his… soul mate, I'd likely already ruined things with him.

"Dad, can I go to bed? I have school tomorrow," I said. "And I'm really tired."

"Okay, Melody," he said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, my darling," Mom said. I kissed her on the top of the head and made my way upstairs, pulling out my phone. I was sure I had Embry's number saved in my cellphone from when we used to be friends.

I found the number and closed my door. While I was working up the courage to call him, I changed into sweatpants and a tank top and crawled under the covers, cradling the little phone. I took a deep breath and pressed Call.

It only rang once and then he picked up.

"Melody?" he asked. His voice was urgent.

"Embry, it's me," I said. I heard him take a sharp breath on the other line.

"What's going on?"

"Look, I… I know. About everything. The wolves… Benjamin's one of them, so is Katie. And I also know about… um, the imprint," I said, hesitating before speaking. He gasped again.

"Who told you?" he said, sounding angry. "I was supposed to tell you - and explain it - I had this whole thing planned."

"It's my fault," I responded. "I asked too many questions. They were forced to tell me. My dad, actually, he… um, explained the whole imprint thing. So I get it."

He was quiet for a moment. The silence almost ached. "Can I see you tomorrow?"

"Yes," I said. "Okay."

We talked on the phone until I inevitably fell asleep. He told me what it felt like to change the first time, how scared he was, and desperate to pick up the phone and call his best friends but Sam's orders prevented him. How it pained him to see the glares Jake and Quil gave him, and how he too missed the days when we were kids with no worries.

I woke up anxious and eager to see Embry. Part of me knew it was only some weird ancient magic tying us together, and that in reality if we weren't different, weren't magic, we'd probably just be friends for life.

Part of me didn't want to believe it was just magic.

When we arrived, I found Embry straight away. I booked it down the hall and ran straight into his arms - uncharacteristic for me. He wrapped me up in his hot, strong arms and just held me to him. It was like a sigh at the end of the day when you kick your shoes off and fall onto your bed. I was suddenly hit by a memory.

There was a park nearby where we used to meet as kids. In the summer, if it got warm enough, the cherry tree in the corner of the park would blossom and grow fat, sweet cherries. Embry was always taller than me. When we were ten, he would lift me on to his back and hold my legs while I plucked the berries. We'd all sit and enjoy them, throwing the pits to the base of the tree for good luck.

I let go of Embry and peered up at him, really, actually looking at him. His dark lashes cast prickled shadows under his eyes while he peered back down to me, looking in the same way. My eyes traced the downward curve of his cheek, the dimple underneath his bottom lip, the freckle beside his nose.

His eyebrows which had lately seemed to be set in anger just seemed thoughtful now. When I looked past him, I saw Jacob and Quil leaning against their lockers.

Watching.


	4. Chapter 4

_January 12th, 2017_

Hi, everyone.

This is a notice to let you all know I'm going on a _temporary_ hiatus. There was recently an issue in my family and I'll be flying out to Australia for three weeks. Unfortunately I most likely will not be bringing my laptop with me. If I do, I'll try to update the story often as possible but it may just not work out.

I'll only be gone for three weeks maximum and I'm bringing a notebook with me to continue all three of my stories (About Eden, The Hero, and Ocean's Call) so when I get back, there'll be a flood of new content for everyone! Yay!

I haven't, and won't, abandon any of my stories. So don't worry. I just won't have access to publishing/writing them for a little while. Thank you all very much for your kind words and support. I appreciate everyone who's been in my inbox or in the reviews. You guys are the best.

I've got some stuff I can probably upload in the week or so before I leave, so, I'll remind you all once more when the hiatus officially starts.

Lots and lots of love, Breenagh. xoxo.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: So I'm back from Australia. We had a funeral for my grandfather. I met some really great people while there. I should be updating regularly again. Thanks for your patience.

 _Melody_

"Jacob," I said. "Jake!"

"What?" Jacob spun around, Quil at his elbow. "You're one of Sam's now?"

"No. It's not like that. Jake, Quil, I talked to Embry last night. It's fine," I pleaded. Suddenly I saw myself. I was on the other side of the mirror - the side that could see everything for what it was. I was the one lying, telling half-truths to the people I loved, making them angry and taking it because the truth was impossible.

Jacob half-shook his head. "You just sound like them now, Melody."

I nodded, chewing my lip carefully. "If that's how it is."

"Mel," Jared called, holding up a hand to wave me across the hall to himself, Embry and Paul. Jacob sent them a stony glare.

"You better hurry back," he quipped, turning and leaving. Quil followed after shooting me a torn look. I tugged on the straps of my backpack and walked back to the boys. They stood in a loose circle, taking up half the hallway. I comfortably tucked into the corner like I'd been doing it all my life.

"We're all going cliff jumping on the weekend, you in?" Jared asked. I nodded eagerly, looking at the excitement on Embry's face.

Class was tense all day. Benjamin and Katie joined us when they could, now being part of Sam's pack, and we all banded together. The "other side of the mirror" feeling creeped over my shoulder again - suddenly instead of directing glares at the pack, I was receiving them. It was like overnight everything changed and I'd woken into an alternate universe.

Aside from that, being near Embry was almost electric. My skin always found his skin, in the hall with his hand on my lower back or in class, our shoes touching under the desk. It was addictive, I felt weird without him nearby.

"We have training after school," Jared said as the pack left that afternoon. The sun shone, a rare and welcome occurrence.

"So I'll be alone," I said. Benjamin threw his arm over my shoulders.

"It's nothing you aren't used to," Ben laughed. I shoved into his side - effective as pushing a brick wall. I hugged Embry tightly before climbing into Ben's truck. They dropped me at home and went out to meet Sam and the others for training.

 _Embry_

I paced outside of Emily's house barefoot. The cool dirt felt good under my feet. It was something to focus on instead of missing Melody. I was eager to start the training session immediately so I could run, dig my claws in the dirt, roll in the bushes.

"Embry," Emily called from the porch. "For Pete's sake. You're not a dog, come inside and get something to eat."

"Busy, Em," I snapped back. She crossed her arms, tossing the thick curtain of hair over her shoulder.

"I can see that," she retorted. "Come on, I want to hear about this girl."

I followed Emily inside. It was an excuse to talk about Melody, which wasn't as good as seeing her but it would do in a pinch.

"So, spill," Emily said, putting out a tall plate of sandwiches. The others dug in immediately.

"Well, she's Melody Dawson, so she's the kid of Rob Dawson, the one who owns the garage," I began. Emily nodded. She may have been more of a latecomer to the tribe but she knew the gossip - and the controversy surrounding Rob Dawson marrying a white outsider. That had been a long time ago. Things were different then - the word interracial was still a bitter taste in some people's mouths.

"And she's the sister of Katie and Benjie, right?" Emily said. I nodded. Emily grimaced with her good side - she was no idiot, there would be problems with the pack mind when - if - Melody and I started dating. Nobody wants to hear about their little sister getting it on. If I ever saw her... naked - the thought made my throat tight and uncomfortable, so I pushed it away. Anything I saw would be burned into Benjamin and Katie's skulls if I accidentally thought about it. Which I would. As I was doing that moment.

"She's so beautiful, Em," I sighed, resting my cheek on my hand. "Seriously."

"Aw, Embry's got a crush," Jared teased over a mouthful of food. Paul rolled his eyes.

"Just what I need," complained Paul. "Another stupid imprinted dork on the team."

"At least you have Benjie and Katie to be forever alone with," I pointed out. Emily giggled. Paul just ground his teeth.

"Until they imprint," he remarked. Everyone stopped eating for a moment.

"... Do you think Katie will...?" Jared said quietly. The room was uncomfortable - until the sound of footsteps on the stairs interrupted the silence.

"Hey, kids," Emily waved them through the screen door. Katie looked around nervously. It was her first time here. Not Benjie's, the kid lived here when he ran away from home. Emily hugged them both firmly.

"Welcome to the pack life, Katie," she said, smiling. Katie smiled too. She looked much better, actually. Her skin was glowing, her hair bright. Something about the change had made her look incredibly healthy. We tossed the twins some sandwiches - Katie was impressive in keeping up with our appetites - and went out to the meeting spot. Sam had been there for an hour setting up the training exercises.

We worked in a hive, concentrating our pack mind, integrating the new voices and doing tasks to test how we worked with each other. It felt good to run laps, navigate the forest, bring the twins to all the landmarks to memorize the smells and sights. After sunset, all that energy was burnt off. We parted ways to shower and sleep.

 _Melody_

My heart skipped a beat when my cellphone rang. I'd been in a deep concentration, folding paper flowers on my desk.

"Hello?" I asked, tucking the phone into my neck.

"Melody," Embry said reverently. I smiled. It felt like bubbles in my chest whenever he said my name - he didn't just say it, he took the care to make it a single-word song. Just the one word had so many different meanings wrapped up into one.

"How was training?" I asked. He told me how well my siblings were doing, how tired he was, how he missed me and how Emily wanted me to come around.

"Shoot - that reminds me I have to ask my parents about the cliff diving," I said, quickly scrawling on a sticky note. "Thanks."

I heard the screen door crash open downstairs. Benjie and Katie must have just gotten back from training. I hesitated, torn. Half of me - admittedly the bigger half - wanted to stay and talk to Embry, but the other half of me - the more reasonable half - wanted to check in on the twins.

"Hey Embry? I gotta go," I said, standing up. "The twins just got home."

"Okay, I'll catch you later?"

"Sure. Bye, Embry."

Downstairs, Mom was busy scolding Katie and Ben.

"-And you've nearly broken the couch! No more rough-housing inside! You're too damn strong - oh, Melody, there you are. Your father's forgotten his dinner again, will you take it down to the garage?" Mom said. She was stirring a pot with one hand, clutching a wooden spoon, and reaching for the paper bag with her other hand while scolding my siblings. I laughed and took the bag from her.

"Okay, I got it," I said. "How was training, guys?"

"Good," Katie said. "I'm not even tired."

"I'm jealous. See you in a bit."

I went out to the porch and inhaled the evening air. It was damp, as usual, but rich with the smell of people cooking dinners all over the neighbourhood. I hopped the railing and made my way down the street, down a small hill and then into the thoroughfare of La Push, next to the highway tourists used to get around. Just off the main set of streets was Dawson's Auto. I let myself into the back room and found my dad sitting at his desk, glasses pushed down his nose, leaving sharp red indents.

"You need to get those adjusted," I commented, putting his lunch down on the desk.

"Yeah, I will," he said, looking up like he was coming back from some other world. "Thanks, Mel. Hey, while you're here could you take a look at the Ford in the garage? I can't... My brain's somewhere else. Thing won't start."

"Yeah, sure," I said, my eyebrows pushing together. "You okay?"

"Mm."

I watched him for another moment before heading to the wide, neat garage. The familiar smell of dust mixed with grease and oil, paint and rust and leather and metal filled my nose. I was in a different world, a world of finely tuned machines and the grinding of gears. The only car in the shop was a tan Ford Explorer. I slid inside and tried to start the car. Click, clunk. Okay.

I popped the hood and checked the most obvious thing, the starter - Dad probably checked it already. It was filthy.

For half an hour I set about cleaning the starter and reattaching it to the battery. The car rumbled to life on my first turn.

"Ford's fixed," I said, leaning against dad's office door, wiping my hands on a rag. "Starter was dirty."

"Mm," Dad said, still in his own world. I sighed and went home.


	6. Chapter 6

Before.

Before she grew up, certain things in Melody's life were easy. She knew her place in the world like she knew the freckles on her face. Melody went to school on the reservation, like her brother and sister. And Melody played with the same boys and girls every day.

And on the weekends the dads went fishing and there was barbeques at the Blacks' or the Clearwaters' houses. They were one big family in La Push. Melody liked it that way. Even when she was all grown up, after all the amazing and horrible things she saw in those years, Melody treasured the first ones.

Sarah Black and Saoirse Dawson were best friends. Later, if you asked Melody how much she remembered of Sarah, she couldn't say much. Just that she loved Sarah, that she was warm, wore her long pitch black hair in braids, she often had paint on her hands - just dried, flaking off, and she was kind.

Melody remembered the day Sarah died. She'd been at school when It happened. She was just drawing in the art room - eight years old, almost nine - when suddenly a worried-looking teacher appeared in the doorway.

"Melody Dawson?" the teacher bent down to Melody's table. Melody put down the marker. Something Serious had happened. She let the teacher lead her out of the classroom, to the office. Melody's dad was waiting for her.

"Hi, Dad," Melody said, hugging him. He led her out to the family's old brown Chevy. She slid into the front seat.

"Honey," Robert said. He looked down at his daughter, who peered, unconcerned, over the dashboard. "Honey, look at me."

That got her attention. Robert cleared his throat before speaking. "Mellie, there's been an accident with Billy and Sarah. Jake and his sisters are gonna stay with us a little while, okay?"

"Okay," Melody said, calmly. Robert wasn't sure she understood. "Can we see Billy and Auntie Sarah?"

"Not Auntie Sarah, honey," Robert answered quietly. "She didn't make it, Melody."

Melody was quiet for a little while. Robert rubbed her shoulder gently, but she hardly seemed aware. Eventually, while Melody stared out the window in her own world, a million miles away from him, Robert had to start the car and drive home. Melody didn't speak until they got to the house.

Inside, Saoirse was holding Rebecca and Rachel on either side of her on the couch. The midday sunlight filtered through the curtains, turning the dust motes into stars and drenching the room in burning gold. Jacob was on the floor next to the coffee table, a half-full cup of soda next to him.

"Hi, Jake," Melody said. They sat cross-legged next to each other while the girls took turns falling into crying fits. The twins appeared intermittently, but mostly stayed in the backyard, determined to stay out from underfoot. They were ten and understood better.

That night, Rachel and Rebecca slept in Katie's room with her. Jacob was in Ben's, but just after midnight appeared in the doorway to Melody's room. She was perched on the window seat, looking at shadows over the ocean.

"I can't sleep," Jacob said. He crossed the room to sit on the window seat with Melody, she moved her legs to make room.

They sat in silence, only punctuated by the long restless sighs that the ocean made against the rocks far below them.

"My mom's dead," Jacob told her, not looking at Melody. She turned her face towards his. It was lit up, half of it, by the moonlight. His dark eyelashes looked even darker and kind of stuck together. Melody didn't really understand why until a tear welled up and dripped down his dark face. It landed just at the corner of his full, downturned mouth

"You can share mine," Melody said. He finally looked at her, totally black eyes glittering.

"Okay," Jacob said. He looked tired, deep pockets framing his eyes.

"You can share my bed too," she pointed behind him at the bed, pushed into the corner. He nodded. Melody quietly led him to the blankets. They lay next to each other, wrapped up, her head almost awkwardly nestled in his neck but not quite touching because it was dark and something Bad had happened and the rules weren't very clear anymore so they weren't sure what was right or wrong or allowed. But this felt necessary.


End file.
